about the Ruger .204.

Save me from myself.

I only have one. Terrible!!

Not enough energy past 600 yards. But don't quote me on that...

It sucks, it is only for wimps that can not handle the 458 Lott. You big guys and YES I SEE YOUR PICTURE, that shoot those itty bitty guns make me sick. Especially those from Georgia. Come on over to SC and let us show you what BALLS REALLY ARE.

Only kidding guy

fast, flat, easy to load for, accurate, cheap to shoot (digests small amounts of powder).

yep, i hated mine.

i traded it for a .22-250 because i liked the rifle more.

-Matt

Bill Mc: Something ... ANYTHING, bad huh....,
welll uhhhh...., oh..., ahh..... duhhh....!
Nope - I can not think of a single thing bad regarding the 204 Ruger cartridge!
It is simply an ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING round!
Long live the 204 Ruger.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Do you really want another cleaning rod?

Bill, I do not know whether this is true or not, but my guy at the Bargain Barn, says it is a barrel burner.

It is a cool looking little cartridge though!!

Their habit forming. Everyone I know that has gotten one now has two or three of them.

Hey Bill Mc, I hear a lot of folks love it. Haven't shot one, so factor that total lack of first-hand experience into this response.

I have enough problem handling 0.224" diameter bullets with my old tired hands - without going to something even smaller.

Even loading the 5mm Blue Streak gets interesting, and the loading port is w-i-d-e open.

Tired old hands ...

That's why RCBS has that competition seating die for us old un-nible hands.

Never did hear much good about the 204 just another quick sell fad I guess.

One bad thing
If I only take one out to shoot pds....I got to wait for it to cool down to continue to shoot it. So I take two.

"the guy at the Bargain Barn" doesn't know dick about rifles or barrels and particularly about the .204 Ruger.

Well where do I start, the 204 doesn,t use enough powder, heck I can load SEVERAL hundred on a pound of powder. Not very fun to punch paper with, gets pretty boring making cloverleaf sized groups. Not near enough recoil, I really like picking my shoulder up off of the ground. Not very accurate in a dog town, last time out I only got 94 out of 100 inside of 300 yards. Guess thats why I only own three of them.........for now

Jbhewitt: Well said!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Well, since everyone loves it...

I'll pipe up I don't.. I am sure my PM Box will be full of flaming PMS tomorrow night tho...oh t'well....

I don't see anything a 204 will do that you can't make a 223 to be able to do the same thing...

the 223 has more bullet availability to pick from, brass is a boat load cheaper, you won't look like you are following the "LATEST" trendy fad, that will likely fade like a most of them do...

It isn't a bad round, its just that the 223 will do the same things, more economically and has a much longer track record to prove it...

Now just to really tar and feather seafire, ask me my opinion of the 17 HMRs while you are getting the tar boiling over on the camp fire....

Gidday Seafire,

Tell me about the 17HMR. Ha Ha.

Now seriously I hear the 204 is a 22-250 that uses half the powder without the recoil and muzzleblast.

If it can kill deer with the reliability of the 222 or 223 I might get the Savage rebarreled in one.

Happy Hunting

Hamish

Cost of brass is relative.....you buy it once....use it many times.
Cost of bullets......204 bullets are the same price as .224 bullets
Why would I need a wider variety of bullets if any one of the half dozen currently available .204 bullets is perfectly adequate for the intended purpose.

I never really wanted a .223. Why did I buy 4 204's? I have one that is a marginal shooter with factory and 3 reloads tested to date. There I said it just like another caliber you can get a stinker. Will it still do the job to 250 yds. hell yes! I just like the itszy bitzy groups I get from the others. I won't mention the manufacturer of the stinker. Don't need a flame war.

Seafire/B17G: You say these bizarre things just to stir things up - DON'T YOU?
Comparing the humble (but popular AND utilitarian!) 223 favorably with the 204 Ruger is like comparing a 45/70 to a 7mm STW!
No comparison is possible that shows the 223 in a favorable (or even equal!) light with the 204 Ruger!
The 204 Ruger outperforms the 223 so un-equivocally that any attempt at rationalizing these two as "comparable" is just catering to craziness/contrariness.
Give a 204 Ruger a try there Seafire/B17G and see why folks are buying these Rifles seeing what they can do and THEN they go out and buy - MORE of them!
Dittoes of the above, to you, regarding the 17 HMR.
Sheeshs to you!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: I will bet you $100.00 cash that the 204 Ruger is AS popular or MORE popular 10 years from now than it is TODAY!
Do you accept my wager?

Lofter: Why in the world would you NOT name the 204 Rifle that is not performing well for you?
And additionally why would you not name the three 204 Rifles that ARE performing well for you?
I have three Rifles in caliber 204 Ruger and I have mentioned them and their brand names here and on other forums numerous times!
I may be lucky but all three of my 204's are just wonderful Rifles and perform superbly in the field and at the range.
Their brands and Model numbers are as follows:
Ruger 77 V/T
Remington 700 VLS
Remington XR-100

Isn't that what these forums are for - the exchange of ideas, perceptions, experiences and inquiring about various things?

Your ambiguity is not fruitful at all.
You post something outrageous (like Seafire/B17G does on occassion) or something obviously not factual and someone will probably take you to task - but I simply do not understand ANY hesitancy on your part to relay your dissatisfaction with a particular product (firearm in this case).
Please recosnider your hesitancy.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
By

Back to the original question, about the only
down side to the .20 cal in general, and my
current .204 Ruger acquisition, is I had to
buy a new Dewey cleaning rod, and I still
need to find a .20 cal powder funnel. I am
still waiting to get all of the pieces to the
Savage, in .204 Ruger, together to test out
this little "pea popper", but I am already
dangerously close to addicted.

Squeeze

There is something bad about the 204 Ruger....they put he stupid Ruger name on it. :-)

The only other thing bad about it is the stupid looking perma grin on they guys face when they shoot it for the first time.

Aaron

Squeeze: I have been using the red colored (MTM?) powder funnel kit for my 204 Ruger reloading. I am using the MTM 17 caliber insert and it works OK.
I do think a 20 caliber funnel would speed things up by about 10% in the powder inserting step.
And I STRONGLY advise searching out and buying a 20 caliber cleaning rod - not a 17 caliber cleaning rod. I have two friends that ruined their 17 caliber rods in the 204's.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

skb 2706 'the guy' at the Bargain Barn (a huge firearms retailer in north Ga.) sure knows a lot about rifles. As I stated, I don't have any experience with the .204, but I know a lot of people who have stated (maybe one on this thread) that the .204 gets hot real quick--is this an indicator of short barrel life or not--I'm sincerely asking--I DON'T know about this in relation to the .204, but I know that typically militates toward short barrel life....

I do know of one custom gunnaker who has stated the same thing, and told me a .223 would be a better choice--would you go the .204 instead--I've been working on a lightweight varmint rig, and had been leaning to the .223???

Reagards--Don

VG,

You have been around the bored ( lol) long enough to know that, I can have a preference of one cartridge over another without thinking the guy who carries the other is some sort of idiot...

Hell they all do the same thing....go bang and shoot varmints...

Just for my money, I am sticking to the 223.. and the 22.250... and see no need to look back...nor apologize to anyone else...

I do like pulling 204 lovers chain once in a while tho...

Even if a 204 will shoot flatter than a 223, it isn't by much when both are handloaded...a couple of clicks on the elevation knob and the 223 is right there...

I have checked out the 204 and the other 20s a lot, but have not seen the reason to take the plunge...

If I did see the need for a 20 caliber, I'd tend to lean toward the 22BR case or even the 22.250 case instead for velocity or the 218 or 221 case for efficiency....The 222 Rem Mag case is not what I would pick...if any one of them is in my future it is the 20 BR..

As far as 17 HMRs also, I own four and the only one I will probably end up keeping is the New England Arms handirifle... I guess just to have one... ammo is getting to be $12.00 a box, locally and once again, that or handloading 223s, I'll take the 223 over the 17 HMR...

The other thing I hate about the 17 HMR is that when it hits the sage rats, they basically go bang flop... when I hit them with a 223 and a nice expansive hollow point, they go splat with sage rat parts flying all over the place...

I prefer the red mist waaaaay over the bang flop of the 17 HMR and NOW the 223 is even cheaper to shoot...

I am sure you are the same, but a 200 round day is not a real active day for me in sage rat fields....that is a $50.00 day with the 17 HMR.. and about a $25.00 to $30.00 day with the 223.. which will nail them at longer distance anyway....

So I don't knock you boys that have the 204s and the 17s.. but I am spending my money elsewhere and don't feel I am missing the boat on anything...

and on your wager... Hell I am 54 now, in ten years I will be 64.. dam, I don't even want to think about that.. on that basis alone I am turning down that wager!!!!!

Sinclair's sells a nifty aluminum 20-cal powder funnel. In fact they have one for almost each of the calibers --- very nice since they're sized for each caliber they don't tip when you put it in a case mouth.

I do have a very nice little semi-custom .204 Ruger and when (and if) I do burn thru the barrel I plan on having it rebarreled in 20BR.


I also have it's twin in .223 AI but I just got it and haven't had a chance to even take it to the range..... but soon.

fish30114
I have 2 204s one is Shilen barrel the other is a factory TC carbine barrel. Both have just over 2000 rds thru them with no visual signs of wear thru a borescope. These are barrels that see many trips shooting pds.....at least one weekend per month.
This would be from March thru the opening day of antelope season in Oct. Some very hot days with lots of activity.
I roll all my own and load moderate but not excessive loads in all of my .204 ammo getting just under 4100 fps w/32gr.Sierra bks.
Point is that unless you own one any speculation about barrel life is just that....besides I own barrels to use them....kind like high performance cars with high performance tires. Use 'em like they were made to use.

All very interesting comments on the 204. Been thinking about getting one, then had the bright idea of building a rifle in 20-223. I think that is called the 20 Practical. What do you guys think of that? Instead of having to buy some factory ammo to fire form, I can use the brass from my ever growing collection of 223 rounds and resize the neck instead of having to hunt down the 222 Rem Mag brass to use.

Have a friend who dusts ground hogs with his 204 at distances in excess of 400 yds, and he swears by them.

Just a thought....

John

why would you fireform brass from .222 RM?

Midway prices

I have one. It shoots great. I like it.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bill Mc:
why would you fireform brass from .222 RM?

QUOTE]

Because some people just don't have a life.

The thing I absolutly hate about them is they breed. I get very little trigger time with mine becuase my kids will not stop shoting long enough for me to take a turn. Will not be long before you have several. 17 Cals are worse IMO for that, they are down right addictive. Last 2 years 3 17s and a 20 with a 20 BR coming very soon on a switch barrel rig. Small calibers are great fun

Bad:

New cleaning rod, no powder funnel, new cutters and pilots for my Redding trimmer, new flash hole tool.

I also cannot get near the speeds that i expected. Cannot break 4k.

Good: No recoil, shoots tiny groups.

When all is said and done though, my 223AI outperforms it.

Dogcatcher: Throw that piece of crap Redding trimmer into a mud puddle, run over it with a a large truck and get yourself the best trimmer on the market - the Wilson!
That "bad" situation solved - PERMANENTLY!
Also you should have a flash hole de-burring tool for your 17 centerfires! And that tool will of course work in your 20 cals.!
Dittoes for a 20 caliber funnel - your 17 caliber funnel will work perfectly.
Breaking 4,000 FPS (MV) with 32 gr. bullets from a proper length barrel should be NO problem what so ever!
What, YOU SAY, you don't have a 17 centerfire! Dogcatcher223 then you simply MUST expand your horizons a little bit!
Yes, I highly recommend a dedicated 20 caliber cleaning rod though as the 17 caliber rod is to flimsy for proper 20 caliber cleaning.
20 caliber funnel = $3.00
20 caliber rod = $17.00
Sawbuck spent = situation solved.
Also this Dogcatcher223 - exactly HOW, does your 223 AI "outperform" the 204 Ruger?
Long live the 204 Ruger cartridge.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Seafire/B17G: The only person you need apologize to is YOURSELF!
You are missing out on an exceptional couple of cartridges by foresaking the 204 Ruger and the 17 HMR!
If you do not want to use the 17 HMR then you just go ahead and spend the extra hours in your loading room - pulling on that handle!
And don't blame me when that 223 of yours scares the Varmints down into the dens once you touch it off a few times!
I know - I been THERE!
Now to spank you a little for "overlooking" the 204, again your loss!
Apologize to yourself.
If you don't have the wits about you to recognize a SENSATIONAL Varmint/small game caliber then - go in peace!
I will make up for your contrariness by whacking more and further distant Varmints with my 204's a higher percentage of the time than you can with your 223's - without doubt here and as far as the 22-250 vs. the 204 then again I simply make an offer for you to experience the laser trajectory, absolute lack of recoil, slow to heat barrels and the much smaller powder charges of this amazingly efficient and amazingly accurate round!
Those aren't just idle or contrary words there Seafire/B17G as you may know I own 7 or 8 223's and 4 22-250's - at the Rifle ranges where I shoot and in the all around Varminting situations I Hunt the 204 Ruger outperforms them all!
Its not even close!
This time, I will plead for you to get a 20 caliber Varminter, and start enjoying them - I could really care less which case its built on! If you go with a 20 BR then you are looking at a custom Rifle! $900.00 to $1,500.00 and beyond invested there!
Also you are most likely going to have a single shot on that 20 BR case - unless you go with a semi-custom of some type (Cooper make a repeater in 20 BR?)!
My factory, repeater, 204's cost me between $475.00 and $685.00!
I could not be happier with any of them!
Yes, Seafire/B17G, you ARE missing the boat - in a big AND obvious way!
Others have done this as well, and you adding to that heap won't be the end of the world but it WILL be a contributing factor to you not having the full amount of fun that you COULD be having afield!
Get out the Ben-Gay and rub it on your arm and shoulder while you are cranking out the squib 223 loads!
And don't forget to start a savings account for when you have to re-barrel that 223!
To get a quality barrel and a quality smithing job done anymore its a $500.00 bill!
And don't forget the time involved there with that little endeavour along with shipping and such.
I know - I been there!
If your 17 HMR is "bang flopping" Ground Squirrels I simply can not explain WHY - my 17 HMR's are tearing them in half???
I think your mind is made up and you are gonna stick with that position no matter how many well intentioned folks tell you that you are wrong. And no matter how many folks take the time to explain it to you.
Thats called "contrariness".
So be it.
Long live the splendid new cartridges the 17 HMR and the 204 Ruger!
Varminters everywhere are thankful for their exceptional accuracy, light recoil, long barrel life, flat trajectories, efficiency and versatility!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

skb and VG, would a #1 action in the SAKO 75 be a good platform to build a .204 on? What factory rigs might you reccomend, or do you really need something more custom? I've got a 22-250 but am looking to build another varmint rig on a SAKO platform or similar.

Thanks--Don

Varmint guy, no 17 yet, lol.

As far as my 223AI...I am getting basically the same speeds with a 40gr bullet, out of a 22" tube, as I am with a 32gr bullet and a 24" tube from my 204.

Build a 223AI and get back to me. You will be happy.

Well VG, nice college try there but I am still not buying it...

As far as big bucks on the 20 BRs, not really... Will probably do it on a Savage 12 BVSS action if I do it...

with Calhoon's bullets available in some very nice hollow points in 22 caliber down to 30 grain and 37 grain HPs, and some reloader 7, I still think I am equaling a 204 any day....

I can respect your opinions without following all of them..... Well if I am ripping myself off, well, ignorance can be bliss I gather... but the old 223s and 22.250s go just plenty fine...

and these sage rats, don't seem to be minding the 223s that much over the 17 HMRs because I frequently manage to get in 500 shot afternoons which is target rich environment enough...

besides I normally quit only because I have a scope squint headache...

but I will stay non trendy and spend the bucks on more components.. and yeah I like my handloading time.. It is kinda mental free time instead of nothing to do but watch TV.. so I don't mind all the time I "waste" at my reloading bench....

Guess you'll just have to label me a poor prospect for a 204 still...